Shambles

It's awful. I've been working for a small company for a year and ten months. It was good for a while. Regular runs from Southern California to Texas. Occasional trips to the south and Midwest. Good pay. Home for a few days every ten days or so. The owner was nice. I counted him as a friend. His business partner was superb. He would always thank me and offer praise at the end of the assignment. Firmly but tactfully give criticism when it was necessary. I had never been happier in my nine years as a driver.

Six months ago, it changed overnight. The partner left. I sense it was an acrimonious split. I didn't pry because it was not my business. He was the one who really ran things. The owner brought in his girlfriend (so called fiancee he's still married) she took over the office operation. I welcomed her and said that I was looking forward to working with her. Shortly after that the big change came. They said that they would not have long haul loads for a while. Myself and the other drivers would be doing local container runs. Just for a little while, they said. Day after day, the same stretch of highway. The same half dozen sites. In consistent work. Some weeks only two days of work. Major city traffic at rush hours every day. The boss complained that I took too long on runs. Other drivers went faster. I told him that I drive at the speed limit. 55 mph for trucks in our state. If the other guys wanted to go faster that was their risk.
He pressured me to put in extra hours off the e log. Some days amounted to eighteen hours. He Still expected me to work the next day ten hours after I had technically gone off duty. Pay is laughable. Less than a third of what I was bringing in going otr. On rest time I was continually bombarded with phone calls and messages. My health is suffering. I've narrowly missed having a bad wreck more than once.

Today he was angry that I ran short of drive time an hour away from the delivery. He accused me of sleeping all day in his truck and basically goofing off on the runs. I've been looking for a new job but haven't had any luck. I hope that being off for a few days and able to job search full time will pay off. I can't continue on this path.

I still love being a trucker. I just don't like the current job.

 

Chinatown? How so? I'm not completely familiar with help features here, except the job listings. To any one who might be able to help I'd be grateful.
I have nine years experience otr, live in southern California but would be happy to relocate. I am content to stay out for several weeks at a time.

 

I thought of that as well. He was a fine business man. He had done work as an accountant, salesman and a brief stint as a lawyer's assistant. He always had my paychecks cut within an hour after each trip. The woman running things now is disagreeable. Sometimes I have to wait days for my pay.

 

I don't call it home, but I currently work out of the Long Beach area. Texas and Nevada are two of my favorite states. I'd be thrilled to move to either.

 

I will look them up and yes, I could use the details.